DU to decide on DDA flats purchase for academic infra tomorrow

Delhi University has convened an emergent meeting of its executive council tomorrow to take a call on the proposal to purchase DDA flats worth Rs 150 crore here for setting up administrative and hostel facilities.
The flats are located in Mukherjee Nagar and Dwarka.
The move, however, has been opposed by the area's resident welfare association of Mukherjee Nagar, saying the specific residential character will be "affected" due to settlement of officials or students of the university.
The highest decision-making body of the university in its earlier meeting this month had approved in-principle the plan for the purchase. The proposal says the purchase is worth Rs 150 crore.

The RWA in a representation to the university authorities and executive council members said, "These housing societies are supposed to be non-commercial entities purely for the purpose of providing housing facilities to a selected few, among many applicants through a public draw of lots.
"These flats should not be auctioned or be allotted unilaterally without informing the public at large."

It also added that "while we regard the University of Delhi as our valued neighbour, but need to point out that community-university relation is very delicate one and trying to convert part of a privately-owned residential body to university-owned bureaucratic body will shake this equilibrium for the worse."

However, university officials said that the bulk purchase of DDA properties will be done at Dwarka to convert them to hostels and the flats in Mukherjee Nagar areas will not be used to house students.
"The university, if approved, will use these (Mukherjee Nagar) flats for teaching and non-teaching staff and not students."
"In Dwarka, the proposal is to buy the complete block of DDA colony, which will not affect the neighbourhood and it will be a closed campus to be used for the purpose of hostel.
"This will allow the DU to set up academic block on the land with the university, on which the third law centre will come up. As per the Bar Council of India's norms, each law centre should have its own building," the official said.